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I GET A FEW WEEKS OF peace and quiet as Victor focuses on his games. Maybe my plan has worked, and he’s decided to leave me alone for good. I ace all my quizzes and projects too.

My life is finally as it should have been from the start. No one’s paying any attention to me and no one’s bothering me. I haven’t made any friends either, but everyone tolerates me, or at least they pretend they do. As long as Victor ignores me, I’m happy.

At the end of the class, the professor faces us. “Who wants to earn some extra credit? There’s a student who’s struggling and who could use a little help.”

I lift my hand. Extra credit is always good, and I’m glad Emberwell professors care about their students like this. At many other colleges, no one would give a damn if someone was falling behind. It would be up to the student to figure it all out on their own.

“Noemi, great!” The professor smiles at me as everyone else rushes toward the exit. “Thank you.”

I stuff my things in my bag and approach her.

“You know Victor Overton, right?” she asks, and I inwardly curse everything under the sun.

“Um, yeah.”

None of Victor’s bullying happened during this class. Actually, he was always strangely calm and quiet, which might be because he knew he couldn’t afford to mess around. I should’ve figured out something was up.

“With his hockey games and everything... he’s falling behind. Do you think you can help him out?” the professor asks.

“I can try.” I give her a smile.

“Perfect. You’re supposed to meet him at the library in two hours. Is that okay with you? His schedule is a bit complicated, so—”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I understand.”

Victor will probably refuse as soon as he sees me, but that’ll be on him. I want my extra credit for volunteering anyway. He and I can go back to happily ignoring each other, or if he wants, we can say that we aren’t a good fit and someone else should replace me.

If the professor had told us right away it was Victor who needed help, I’m sure she would’ve gotten plenty of volunteers.

But it doesn’t matter. I can talk to Victor for a few moments and survive. And if he wants me to actually help him? Well, that’ll be weird, but whatever.

It’s not like I hate him. Okay, I do. But our relationship is complicated. I don’t know if I’m letting him get away with everything too easily or what—Sebastian told me once that I was a doormat and forgave too quickly—but I know a little about what he’s going through. And I can’t just ignore it.

We don’t have to be friends or anything, but we can keep coexisting in peace.

***

A S I’M ON MY WAY TO the library, I text my mom not to wait for me with dinner because I’m probably going to stay late to tutor another student.

Even if Victor refuses, I can just study on my own, so it won’t be a big deal. The library is strangely empty, and not even the librarian is here, which is weird.

But Victor is at one of the tables, so I take a seat across from him. His icy gaze lifts to mine.

“Of course.” His lips spread into a smile. “You. Who else would be crazy enough to volunteer for anything?”

“Yes, me.” I smile too. “But we’re both adults, so we can act like it.”

He tilts his head at me. “Fine.”

I furrow my brow as he gets to his feet. He sits down in the chair right next to me, so close that his arm brushes mine. A zap of electricity rushes through me.

Oh hell to the no.

“What’s wrong?” He pulls his textbook from across the table. “I’m right here, so teach me, Emi.”

I stare at his mouth as he says my name. It’s so damn distracting because I know what that mouth can do, and the way his voice turns husky and low...

He keeps watching me, and I clear my throat. I flip through the textbook and start explaining the first thing that comes to my mind.

“You’re so sexy when you get all professional,” he whispers into my ear.

I bite down on my lip as I look into his eyes. “Am I wasting my time here?”

His hand closes over mine on the textbook, and he caresses my fingers. “I can figure it out all on my own. I’ve just been busy. We can do something else. Something far more enjoyable.”

I curl my hand into a fist, thinking he’ll pull his hand away. But instead, he pushes his finger into the opening between my thumb and index finger. I let out a small gasp because I know what he’s thinking, and my body instantly responds.

My mouth goes dry. It would be nice to forget everything and just lose myself in the sensations. Enjoy myself. Feel the fire only Victor has been able to light inside me.

But I can’t, so I move my hand under the table.

“If you fail this class, will they even let you play hockey?” I ask, because I need to steer this conversation in a different direction.

“It’s just one class. It means nothing.” He leans closer to me again. “Why don’t we go to my room? I want to find out just how many times I can make you come in an hour.”

I gape at him, trying to ignore the warmth pooling between my legs.

“What? I have something later.” He grins. “You can always come back tomorrow for more.”

Wow, just... I imagined this might go in a few different ways, but I didn’t think he’d be offering me something like this. I thought he wanted nothing to do with me anymore, but I guess I was wrong. He’s always up for sex, apparently.

“But if you fail, won’t your father be mad about that?” I meet his gaze.

His face turns completely serious, his eyes stormy. He gets to his feet and snatches the textbook, then goes for his bag on the other side of the table.

Uh oh. I shouldn’t have said that, but it’s the only thing I could’ve thought of to push him away.

“Then stay here,” he says through his teeth, glaring at me, and strides away from me.

“Victor, I—” I say, but he’s already too far away to hear me.

As I run my hand over my face, everything suddenly goes dark. What the fuck? It takes my eyes a moment to adjust, and there’s some light coming from the windows, so I find my phone.

I get to my feet and grab my bag, then use the flashlight on my phone to find the exit. But as I try the door, it won’t open. It’s either locked or stuck. I keep trying, but the door won’t open.

“Victor! Open up! Please!” I bang on the door. “Hello? Can anyone hear me?”

But as I press my ear to the door, I can’t hear anything. No answer. Has Victor locked me in here and left?

Shit!

I take a look at my phone screen. No signal. Ugh! Just fucking great.

I head to the windows. Two of them are stuck, but one opens. The library is on the second floor and it’s too high to jump out. I put my phone through the window, but I still get no signal.

Oh come on!

I spot three students walking not too far away. “Hey!” I yell. “I’m locked in here. I need help!”

They look and point at me as I wave at them, but then they leave. Somehow, I don’t think they’re sending help. Maybe they think it’s some kind of prank, or they realized it was me and they don’t like me. I’m not worth their time.

It’s getting late, and my phone battery conveniently dies. No one else passes close enough for me to get their attention, since the windows are looking on the wrong side. At this time, no one’s going to be around.

Unbelievable. My mom and dad have probably gone to sleep, and since I texted my mom I was going to be late, they aren’t wondering where the hell I am. I find the closest table and sit down. After I put my bag on the table to use as a not-very-comfortable pillow, I rest my head on it and close my eyes.

Will Victor really just leave me here like this? I brought up his father, so I guess he will. Since no one’s here and the library tends to be open until late hours, Victor must’ve reserved it for himself or something like that somehow. It would explain why he had the keys. I hope he’ll return soon and let me out. If he doesn’t, everyone will find out he locked me in and I don’t know how he’ll explain that away.

Yeah, he’ll be back.

He has to be.

I just have to wait a little bit longer. At least the library is spacious, and I won’t freak out because I’m locked in.

Locked in because of a guy again.

I sigh.